NuVo vice president and general manager David Rodarte says the wireless system would be NuVo’s first product to be made available to consumers for self-installation; however, several other NuVo products already are available through both sites.

He says, “Consumers will love the fast, easy set-up, the truly outstanding audio quality, and the ability to access all their music sources. Not everyone will want to set up our Wireless Audio System themselves, but the fact is just about anyone can. For those who want professional installation, there’s no better choice to do this than an authorized NuVo dealer.”

The move is bound to cause some growling in the custom installation channel. Many dealers had commented that they would embrace the product – billed as a competitor to Sonos – because it was a channel-only product that would not be over-distributed.

Now consumers will be able to buy the GW100 gateway for $199, the 120-watt P200 wireless player for $599 and the 40-watt P100 for $479.

CLARIFICATION: As one CE Pro astutely noted, NuVo itself is not selling direct to consumers. It is selling through consumer Websites.

Here is NuVo’s press release about the Wireless Audio System.

Describing it as the world’s “simplest yet most advanced system for multi-room, multi-stream wireless music,” NuVo Technologies introduced the NuVo Wireless Audio System, the first wireless home music system based on advanced, dual-band WiFi and MIMO technologies to transmit up to 16 simultaneous streams at 600 kb per second each, the highest of any WiFi music network. The NuVo system connects with home networks and the Internet to play personal iTunes and Windows Media libraries, popular streaming services such as Pandora, Rhapsody, and SiriusXM, and other network-connected music and audio sources.

Today NuVo introduced the system’s three primary components, consisting of two types of music players, the P200 and P100, and a network gateway, GW100. System control is accomplished using a smartphone or tablet, with Apple and Android applications available free online. NuVo, known a decade for its professionally-installed whole home music systems, also announced that the new Wireless Audio System would be the company’s first product to be made available to consumers for self-installation.

“Consumers will love the fast, easy set-up, the truly outstanding audio quality, and the ability to access all their music sources,” said David Rodarte, Vice President and General Manager. “Not everyone will want to set up our Wireless Audio System themselves, but the fact is just about anyone can. For those who want professional installation, there’s no better choice to do this than an authorized NuVo dealer.”

“For all its simplicity, the NuVo system is without question the closest to an audiophile-grade product of any whole home music system based on WiFi technology,” Rodarte said. “No existing wireless product can deliver as many simultaneous streams with as much bandwidth – a full 600 KB – for each stream.” Rodarte said the new ensemble also offers all the control and customization features of a wired system, including grouping of zones, audio synchronization between zones, independent zone control and other features, such as local source input via Bluetooth, USB, or audio cable. “We believe the NuVo Wireless Audio System is the simplest yet most advanced system for multi-room, multi-stream wireless music, and offers an unmatched level of audio quality,” Rodarte said.

Easy Three-Step Set-up Wizard
Set up of the NuVo Wireless Audio System is designed for simplicity. Once users have launched the NuVo control app on their wireless device and the GW100 Gateway has been plugged into the router and powered up, the app launches a wizard that walks them through a three-step installation. A similar wizard will also provide a walk-through for additional players that may be added at a later date.

Core components of the NuVo system are the GW100 network gateway, designed for wired connection to a home router, and the P200 and P100 wireless players. The system supports up to 16 separate listening zones, and either player can be used in setting up a listening zone.

The players have no built-in loudspeakers; they are designed for stereo speakers, such as floorstanding, bookshelf, in-wall, or tabletop models. Both players use energy-efficient digital amplifiers optimized for playback of streaming digital music and provide gold 5-way binding posts for stereo speaker connections. The P200 provides up to 60 watts of power per channel; the P100, 20 watts per channel (2 channels @8 ohms). In addition to the more powerful amp, the P200 is equipped with aptX Bluetooth technology, so that mobile devices, including most tablets and many smartphones, can send music wirelessly at audiophile quality to the P200 for playback in one or multiple zones. Benefits of Dual-Band Concurrent and MIMO WiFi for Multi-Room, Multi-Stream Music

NuVo is the only audio products manufacturer to employ two leading-edge WiFi technologies, dual-band concurrent and MIMO (multiple in, multiple out), simultaneously, in a dedicated multi-room, multi-stream audio system. The advantages are simple: dual-band concurrent means the gateway continuously sends out audio streams on both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi frequency bands, with the user selecting the band with the best reception when setting up each zone. MIMO is an advanced wireless technology, also used in cellular communications, that optimizes high-speed data transmission.

The gateway and players feature a compact, low profile, contemporary design in an inconspicuous smooth black finish. Measuring 6.1” x 4.33 x 1.5”” (w x d x h), the GW100 gateway manages and distributes all the media to the players. Each Gateway device has a range of approximately 300 ft. and can serve an average 4000 sq. ft. home. For covering even larger spaces, additional GW100’s can be used in the same system.

Both players support the most common audio formats, including MP3, WMA, ACC, FLAC, and WAV, as well as Internet radio streams from Pandora, Sirius/XM, Rhapsody, TuneIn, and others. Each also offers a USB 2.0 (Type A) port, allowing direct playback from any USB compatible thumb drive or hard drive. Both players also offer 3.5 mm stereo analog in and analog out mini jacks: The analog in will accept any analog line level audio signal, with the players providing signal amplification. The analog out provides the line level signal to an additional amplifier, powered subwoofer, or headphones. The P200 incorporates a third mini jack for future applications.

The NuVo Wireless Audio System will be available to consumers from two authorized on-line retailers, SMARTHOME Inc. (http://www.smarthome.com) and Parts Express (http://www.partsexpress.com). The GW100 gateway will carry a retail price of $199, while the P200 wireless player will sell for $599 and the P100 for $479.

About the Author

Julie Jacobson, recipient of the 2014 CEA TechHome Leadership Award, is co-founder of EH Publishing, producer of CE Pro, Electronic House, Commercial Integrator, Security Sales and other leading technology publications. She currently spends most of her time writing for CE Pro in the areas of home automation, security, networked A/V and the business of home systems integration. Julie majored in Economics at the University of Michigan, spent a year abroad at Cambridge University, earned an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin, and has never taken a journalism class in her life. She's a washed-up Ultimate Frisbee player currently residing in Carlsbad, Calif. Email Julie at [email protected]